USB music files

Hey guys, I recently purchased a new Tacoma!! So I have this USB drive with all my CDs in FLAC format for lossless audio. In the Tacoma manual it only supports MP3, WMA, and the other one. I tested out a CD by ripping it in Windows media audio lossless. Does not work. I guess because its lossless. Is there anything I may be missing to get the best audio quality on a usb drive to listen in my car. I usually RIP all my CDs and have the library in my car on USB. It looks like MP3 will be the best it supports. I'm just making sure I'm not missing anything.

 

I would be interested to know also.

 

Welcome to TW fellow music lover!
The only way you can play flac files on a stock hu would require something like this:

Astell&Kern AK Jr Portable High-Resolution Audio Player - 64GB Silver

https://www.amazon.com/Astell-Kern-...tDescription_secondary_view_div_1509478887940

I chose to replace my factory hu for a Kenwood and can play all file types and am loving it. Not to mention the added bonus of apple car play,

 

Probably mp3. My aftermarket deck has DACs(digital audio converters) brings it back to cd qualitys. (Analog)

For reference i use the pioneer deh-80prs, commonly reffered to as a prs80

 

I wonder if you used a device that plays flat files and either use the USB or Bluetooth. I used my IPod classic via the USB at one point, but not sure if the iPod was playing the files or the HU was using the iPod like a drive.

I currently just use a USB with mp3s.

 

I only play mp3s in my car or truck. I rip everything to FLAC, though, and "downgrade" for car playback.

There are two reasons I do this.

1) My base FLAC files are far, far larger even than 320kbps mp3s. Even with a 256GB usb stick, they won't all fit on one stick, and I want *everything*. I cringe in fear of the possibility of wanting to listen the that-one-song and, horrors, not having it in the car right now because I didn't have enough space. Gah! (do I really need a sarcasm indicator for these statements?)

2) Consider, with the noise from your tacoma, engine, wind, tires, road, other cars, that guy on the corner screaming about the end of the world, etc., can you *really* hear the difference between a higher bit-rate mp3 and flac while driving? Sure, at home in a nice room with good speakers or a good pair of headphones, yeah.... but in a car or truck? You're not going to miss anything by listing to mp3s on the road. I don't even bother with 320kbps mp3s, but reencode to 192kbps. Entirely good enough while traveling.

 

unless you have upgraded aftermarket speakers, I don't see the point of using lossless audio files. Even the upgraded JBLs are meh.

 

I copied about 4000 tunes to my mini stick right from my iTunes library files. Plays perfectly. It's a truck so you don't need the "audiofile" attitude. You'll be disappointed.

G.

 

Thanks guys. Yeah I will probably just rip them all to MP3 for now. It's good enough.

 

Ya, until you upgrade the audio system, MP3 or iTunes ACC is more than good enough.

 

Check out this older thread. Lots of good info about music file formatting and software to add/remove tags and album art as appropriate. I used it for reference when I swapped from an outdated iPod to a mini 132 Gb USB drive.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/music-storage.310098/

 

Given the speakers are meh. Not much use having FLAC lol. I understand wanting lossless. But the sound system in these trucks is no where close to high end enough to actually hear a difference from 192kbit mp3 to lossless

 

How about playing music video? I have a 2017 Tacoma TRD Sport, does anyone know if the USB port supports it or if there's a way you can tweak it?

 

I also have all my music in FLAC, as well as lots of DVD videos that have DVD audio quality on them. I ordered a Kenwood Excelon 994S. It is geared towards audiophile types. It plays FLAC, as well as DSD audio. It also plays plenty of video formats, including mkv files. Go to Kenwood and get the PDF manual to see all the file types it plays. One of the reasons I chose this particular model is because it will take an SDXC card, other head units are only SDHC and less (32gb Max). More importantly, I can connect a mass storage drive via USB to it. I have a 3TB Western Digital Elements external HDD to hook up to the Kenwood. As long as the HDD/SSD can be powered by the USB port your fine. The Kenwood puts out 1.5a which is plenty to power most external HDD's. There are other, slightly cheaper Kenwood models in the Excelon series, but I ordered the 994S because it also has built in Navigation.

If you really want to re-encode all your music, I'd use iTunes and rip to 320 VBR, it'll probably sound just as good and it's AAC format, should play fine. It's my favorite lossy format. Bit rates will jump into the 400's when needed. I still don't think FLAC is some kinda audiophile format or anything, it's simply CD quality, it's no higher than what we've had for years before taking a step down to MP3.

 

Thanks Smuckers... Without going after market product, do you know if the stock entertainment system supports video playing?

 

Ive never been able to get FLAC to work..sucks cause all the bands I listen to offer FLAC downloads of their concert...have to convert to WAV via http://www.foobar2000.org/

 

Only MP3, AAC, and WMA audio file types, unfortunately

 

Reviving this thread to ask, if the Entune USB reads FLAC yet on our 3rd Gen?

 

Man o man, Due to the extremely poor quality of the audio in the 2nd gen, I went to cartoys a year ago to inquire about systems that could incorporate external hard drives. Although, the salesman directed me towards the Kenwood 994 he seamed to be rather appalled that anyone would want to go that route and said most people simply stream their music these days and that I was basically sol.
Thank you for sharing, Smuckers.